The prior art discloses a number of examples of a faceplate that is configured to include a shelf or the like for supporting an object at a power outlet. Examples include U.S. Pat. No. 7,812,257, U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2011/0132634 and 2011/0175570. The prior art also includes references that disclose wall plate assemblies with a USB connector (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,915,529), a face plate assembly with a shelf for supporting a cell phone and means for hiding a portion of the cable extending from the charger to the cell phone (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,528,323) and an assembly that includes a shelf, power outlets and an integrated cable having an output connector for connection to a cell phone presumably for recharging the phone while it rests on the shelf.
As is well known, each type of rechargeable device (e.g. a cell phone) may have its own charger with a power output connector that is connectable to an input connector of the cell phone. The power output connector and the power input connector usually have unique configurations and the circuitry inside the charger may be unique to the cell phone that the charger charges. Thus, usually, the charger of one type of device cannot be used with another type of device. Therefore, the device such as the one disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 7,528,323 can only be used with a cell phone for which it is configured.